Chapter 154

Ava

I followed Lily out into the gardens, the light evening breeze carrying the faint scent of roses and freshly turned earth. Moonlight filtered through the trees, casting flickering shadows across the winding stone paths.

Moonrise gardens were just as lovely as Moonstone gardens—if not a bit more manicured. Every pebbled pathway was lined with hedges and shrubs, each one pruned into some sort of fantastical shape or another: an elephant, a heron, a perfectly round sphere.

Then, all of the pathways converged into one center area, where there was a towering peach tree—one that was far larger and more knotted than any normal peach tree, due to its ancient age. It must have been here since before Moonrise pack was even a pack.

But as Lily and I strode up to the enormous tree, underneath which was a small, moss-covered stone bench, I couldn’t help but notice something.

The leaves… They looked perfect. Not a hint of the beetles that Lily had been talking about before, although they were utterly devoid of the peaches that would have once weighed the branches to the ground.

Strange.

“This is a lovely garden,” I said with a clearing of my throat, trailing my fingers along the soft petals of a nearby flower bush. “You’re lucky to have this.”

Lily’s lips curved into a sad smile. “For now,” she said softly.

I quirked an eyebrow at her, but she had already turned her back. Her long silk skirt swished around her ankles as she made her way over to the bench and sank down. When she saw me looking first at her and then at the tree overhead, she wrung her hands nervously.

“Ava, can I be honest with you about something?”

Concern worked through me at her somber tone, and I quickly moved to sit beside her. “Of course,” I replied without hesitation. “You know you can tell me anything.”

She worried her bottom lip between her teeth for a moment before letting out a heavy sigh. “I’m sure you’ve noticed that things seem a bit… off around the manor lately.”

It wasn’t a question, and I felt something twist in my stomach at her words—validating that my earlier observations might not have been my imagination running wild after all.

“I did pick up on a few details,” I admitted carefully.

She pressed her delicate rosebud lips into a thin line. “The staff, the meals, the disarray of the place…” She shuddered, wrapping her arms around herself before looking up at the empty peach tree overhead. “This tree, devoid of the beetles that were claimed to be infesting it.”

I remained silent, although I could feel my chest clenching slightly.

“Moonrise is in the midst of a financial recession,” she finally said after a moment of silence, her voice strained. “A rather significant one, if I’m being honest.”

My eyes widened at her admission. “But how? Moonrise has always been one of the wealthiest packs around. Your moontea leaves alone—”

“Are the root of the problem,” she cut in, her mouth set in a grim line. “There were some concerns raised in the human world about side effects. Apparently, a few humans claimed that the moontea was poisonous.”

“Poisonous?” I echoed incredulously. Moonrise had been known for its tea leaves for decades—no one had ever gotten sick from them. It was one of the most mild teas on the market with the most health benefits.

She shook her head and tucked a strand of her platinum hair behind her ear. “In truth, they simply overconsumed the tea. They became ill, and instead of taking responsibility for their own overindulgence, they filed a bunch of frivolous complaints. Before we knew it, the tea leaves were blacklisted and banned from being exported.”

The weight of her words left me too stunned to even speak for several long moments.

Of course—their moontea leaves had long been Moonrise’s biggest cash crop, their prized export that generated the majority of their wealth. If that income stream had been completely cut off…

“Anyway,” she breathed, tilting her head back to look up at the peach tree, “we’ve been exporting our peaches this year in the hopes of staying afloat. But unfortunately our peaches are just normal peaches; therefore, they don’t sell as well in the human world.”

“So that’s why you don’t have any,” I muttered, tapping my chin thoughtfully.

Lily nodded heavily. “So,” she said with a sigh, “if you noticed anything off about your visit, that’s why. My father had to let go of a good portion of our staff, and we’ve had to tighten our belts in all other aspects as well. I know it seems silly that I’m so used to extravagance, but…”

“It’s not silly.” I turned toward her and gripped one of her hands in mine. “I can’t even imagine how hard that must be, especially for your father. Your pack’s entire economy is at stake.”

She let out a shaky exhale, her eyes suddenly misting over. “He tries to put on a brave face, but I know he blames himself. This pack’s legacy, our way of life—it’s all crumbling right in front of his eyes.” Lily lifted her chin, schooling her features even as a single tear streaked down her cheek.

“It’s been a decade since my Mama passed,” she said softly. “And his genuine smile only just returned within the past couple of years. Already, I feel like I’m losing him again.”

Her words made my heart stutter painfully in my chest. Without a second thought, I leaned forward and wrapped her in a tight hug. She stiffened momentarily before melting into my embrace, her own slender arms encircling my back.

“You have to know that I’m here for you,” I said gently. “Whatever you need, just say the word. Chris and I will do anything we can to help.”

Lily pulled back slightly, swiping at her damp cheeks with the back of her hand. “Actually... there is one thing.” She drew in a steadying breath. “I would be lying if I said that I only invited you here for congratulations. Don’t be mad.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle wryly. “I won’t be mad. What was the real reason?”

She took in another breath. “Since Chris works closely with humans, I was hoping maybe he could… look into getting the moontea ban removed? Use his influence to bring some clarity to the situation?”

Lily didn’t even have to ask me twice. Immediately, I nodded and replied, “You know he would be more than happy to at least try. Chris has made a lot of connections over the years—if anyone could find a way to untangle this mess, it would be him.”

Relief swept over Lily’s features and her shoulders slumped with the emotion. “Oh, thank you so much,” she whispered, her voice thick. “Thank you both.”

I offered her a tense smile. “It’s the least we can do,” I said, my throat tightening. “After…”

Her eyes widened slightly. “Don’t say that. Truly, I’m so happy for both of you. You and Chris... you were always meant to be together, despite… everything.”

I leaned back slightly, unable to contain my surprised smile at her earnest words. “You really mean that?” I asked. “Even after all your trouble?”

A rueful smile tugged at the corners of Lily’s lips. “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t heartbroken at first,” she admitted. “That first time I went home, I cried the whole way…”

“Oh, Lily—”

“But I understand,” she cut me off with a raised hand. “I saw the way he looked at you—I heard the rumors. He might be more madly in love with you than any man could ever love a woman. I couldn’t get in the way of that.”

I let out a breathless laugh, equal parts disbelieving and deeply touched by her candor. Lily’s shoulders lifted in an easy shrug, and she rose from the bench, extending her arm toward me.

“What can I say?” she said as I looped my arm through hers and we began to wander back toward the house. “True love is true love. I’m just happy to see two people getting their happily ever after.”